The Wolf Cupboard by Susan Gates Page B

Leon. “And Mum won’t kill me when I get home!”
    Leon told Danny, “I’m going to borrow this book right now!”
    â€œBut you said it was a stupid book,” said Danny.
    â€œI’ve changed my mind,” said Leon. “This is a great book. This book will save my life!”

Chapter Four

Danny’s Wolf Stare
    When they got home, Leon took Danny up to his bedroom. There wasn’t much time. He had to sort out this wolf problem before Mum got home.
    â€œRight,” said Leon, flicking through the book again to find the page on “How To Avoid a Wolf Attack”.
    Danny was not in a good mood. His lower lip stuck out like a fat pink slug. He was chanting, “I’m not going back to school. I’m not going back to school!”

    â€œWill you stop saying that?” snapped Leon. “I’m trying to help you. I’m trying to make sure that, even if you
do
get chucked in the wolf cupboard, you won’t get eaten. So there’s no need to be scared. OK?”
    â€œOK,” said Danny. But he didn’t sound sure.
    Leon found the right page and read it. “These are great tips,” he thought. But would they work for Danny?
    â€œImagine there’s this great big angry wolf, with very sharp teeth,” said Leon. “And it wants to bite you!”
    Leon showed his teeth, like an angry wolf. He gave a loud growl. “Grrrr!”
    â€œYou’re scaring me!” cried Danny.
    â€œBut you don’t need to be scared!” said Leon. “Because this book tells you what to do.”

    â€œWhat do I do?” asked Danny.
    â€œWell,” said Leon, “you do what another wolf would do. You stare at the wolf.”
    â€œWhat, just stare at it?” said Danny, puzzled.
    â€œYes!” said Leon. “It’s called a wolf stare. The wolf in the photo is doing it. Wolves stare fiercely at each other. And the one with the fiercest stare wins.”
    â€œWhat, like this?” asked Danny making his eyes big and round.
    â€œThat’s really good,” Leon said.
    Danny kept staring, his eyes wide, not blinking.

    â€œYou can stop staring now,” said Leon. “It’s creepy!”
    Finally, Danny blinked. “But what if the other wolf has a fiercer stare than me?” he asked. “What if it wins? Will it bite me?”
    Leon could hear Mum turning her key in the front door. He looked at the book for an answer.
    â€œNo, the wolf won’t bite you,” said Leon. “You’ve just got to do
this
.”
    Leon rolled onto his back, like a dog that wants to have its tummy tickled.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” asked Danny.
    Leon said, “The book tells you, if a wolf loses a staring contest, it rolls over onto its back, like this. It’s like saying, ‘I give in.’ And then the other wolf won’t bite.”
    â€œOh, I get it!” said Danny. He rolled over onto his back too.

    â€œAnd if you whimper as well,” Leon told him, “the other wolf knows for sure you’ve given in.”
    â€œLike this?” said Danny, whimpering and pawing at the air with his hands.
    â€œThat’s really great!” said Leon.
    Mum looked round the bedroom door.
    â€œWhat are you two up to?” she said.
    â€œWe’re pretending to be wolves,” said Danny.
    Leon went red. He felt really silly rolling around on the floor.

    At least only Mum had seen him, and not his mates at school. They would have laughed their socks off.
    Mum went back downstairs. Leon stopped pretending to be a wolf. He stood up.
    â€œNow, remember, Danny,” he said. “If you get chucked in the wolf cupboard, you can use your wolf stare. And if that doesn’t work…”
    â€œI know,” said Danny. “I roll on my back and give in.”
    â€œRight!” said Leon. “You’ve got it!”
    â€œI’m not scared of that wolf now,” said